Advocacy

iStock_000007002405XSmallWe work with parents to help them make sound educational decisions for their children.

  • Assist parents through the often-complicated issues regarding their child’s academic, social-emotional, and behavioral development
  • Help parents become informed participants and advocates in their child’s educational team
  • Serve as a member of a collaboration team with parents, school, and support personnel
  • Design effective strategies and interventions based on the student’s learning style and temperament

Who needs us?

  • Parents who have questions about their child’s learning and achievement
  • Parents who are concerned about their child’s development and/or a possible disability
  • Parents whose children are changing schools or educational programs
  • Parents who need information about appropriate school placements
  • Parents who need help interpreting existing data and reports
  • Parents who want independent observations of their child in a school setting
  • Parents who want an understanding of how to match the instructional program to their child’s learning profiles
  • Parents who need help communicating with their child’s school
  • Parents who need help deciding if educational, psychoeducational, neuropsychological and/or other evaluations would be useful in understanding their child

How we proceed

  • Listen carefully to understand parental concerns
  • Review and interpret existing data (e.g., report cards, previous evaluations,
    standardized test scores, IEP’s, etc.)
  • Observe the child in school
  • Consult with the child’s teacher
  • Review curriculum
  • Design an action plan
  • Share the findings and action plan with the parents

 The action plan

Through this information-gathering process parents will have a plan of action that may include:

  • Creation of a well integrated support team for the student and family
  • Recommendations for instructional strategies based on the child’s learning strengths and weaknesses
  • Establishing a system to coordinate, facilitate, and monitor the student’s progress
  • Explanations of school processes and procedures and how to work within them
  • Requests for additional information, if needed
  • Parent preparation for school meetings
  • Attendance at school meetings with parents
  • Referrals to other professionals